Monday, April 28, 2014

CHEN MAN is a 31 year-old Chinese photographer, born and raised in Beijing.

She
graduated from the photography department of the Central Academy of Fine
Arts in 2005. But before she even gradutated, she had already started
collaborating with Shangai-based fashion magazine Vision, which was one
of the few, if not the only, progressive magazines around at that time.
This, and a contact of hers, were her open door into the world of heavy
weights such as Harper’s Baazar, Elle, Esquire… and the list of
magazines, agencies and campaigns goes on.

According her, there was a time in which photographers didn’t consider
her a photographer and artists didn’t consider her an artist due to the
heavy digital manipulation she applied to her work, so she cut back a
lot on the editing and started working with more natural light and
retouching a lot less.

However, for Chen Man, the idea that untouched
photographs are always better and that art and commerce just don’t mix
is very disputable.

Her passion for beauty and glamour is obvious in each of her shots and
her emphasis on the beauty of the Asian woman have made her one of
China’s most important fashion photographers.

LOVE WILL FIND OUT THE WAY

Anonymous

Over the mountains
And over the waves,
Under the fountains
And under the graves;
Under floods that are deepest,
Which Neptune obey,
Over rocks that are steepest,
Love will find out the way.

When there is no place
For the glow-worm to lie,
When there is no space
For receipt of a fly;
When the midge dares not venture
Lest herself fast she lay,
If Love come, he will enter
And will find out the way.

You may esteem him
A child for his might;
Or you may deem him
A coward for his flight;
But if she whom Love doth honour
Be conceal'd from the day-
Set a thousand guards upon her,
Love will find out the way.

Some think to lose him
By having him confined;
And some do suppose him,
Poor heart! to be blind;
But if ne'er so close ye wall him,
Do the best that ye may,
Blind Love, if so ye call him,
He will find out his way.

You may train the eagle
To stoop to your fist;
Or you may inveigle
The Phoenix of the east;
The lioness, you may move her
To give over her prey;
But you'll ne'er stop a lover-
He will find out the way.

If the earth it should part him,
He would gallop it o'er;
If the seas should o'erthwart him,
He would swim to the shore;
Should his Love become a swallow,
Through the air to stray,
Love will lend wings to follow,
And will find out the way.

There is no striving
To cross his intent;
There is no contriving
His plots to prevent;
But if once the message greet him
That his True Love doth stay,
If Death should come and meet him,
Love will find out the way !

Every year on Mother Day, I have many words to say, from here Old-Age home where I stay, to my children who live far, far away, who are too busy, a visit they rarely pay.

My hairs are becoming sparse and gray, My teeth decay, and break away, My mind depresses and in dismay, My nervous response slow and delays, My memory forgetful and in disarray, My legs weak and walk in sway, I feel so gloomy when the day is without sun-rays, I feel so scare when the night is without moon-light spray, I keep the toys made of clay, with which in your young age, you played, to keep the boredom at bay.I keep these toys to prevent sorrow which wants to slay, my lonely heart which already is frail and frayed.

To my grandchildren, a Filial Piety, you need to display, so that they would know how to obey, to you when you are old in later days.Otherwise they would say 'nay, 'and do according to the way, you did to me before, down into the grave, I lay.

Thursday, April 24, 2014

I miss the hours we would spend talking,
being open and honest and free
I miss how my heart would breath a sigh of
relief because you brought me peaceI miss the feeling of hope and happiness
and how with you I always felt content

I miss you

I miss the hours I would spend lying
by your side tracing the lines upon your skin
I miss the way you held me close enough
to hear your heartbeat, I wish I could hear it again

I miss you

I miss you every minute of everyday
it’s an ache, a sadness, an emptiness
that doesn’t ever go away